Instructor Bio
Liam Duggan
Telephone: via Bill McKay: 0779 0329001
The tradition of boxing was passed down within my family via my grandfather, an all Ireland flyweight boxing champ, to my father and to me as soon as I could walk, as was the understanding that violence was only ever justified when there was no other course of action.
My interest in martial arts was fuelled as a kid by a few years of Judo, reaching brown belt under the tutelage of a 70 year old sensei, who was the fittest, nicest and scariest man I had ever met and who I’ve always wanted to emulate.
I had a Chinese aunt, by marriage, who nurtured my interest in philosophies of the east and explained to me the basics of Chinese physics and medicine and further fuelled my interest.
Like most I tried both Karate and Kickboxing but by my late teens realised that I wasn’t naturally flexible and although I got quite fit and I was quick with my hands these arts did not suit me.
During this time I also studied fencing (foil), training at the ‘Salle d’Excellence’ at Millfield School, competing at national level to win a couple of titles. I really enjoyed competing but regretfully a family move curtailed the activity but luckily when took up Wing Chun, the skills and concepts I had learned in fencing became instantly transferable.
At the age of 22, whilst living in a rough area of Manchester and a musician by this time, I count myself lucky to come across a Wing Chun class taught by Master Billy Davidson, a personal disciple of Master Samuel Kwok and after one lesson, I was hooked.
Sifu Davidson’s excellent understanding of the system, the small classes three times a week and my daily practice coupled with my Sifu’s relaxed, friendly but highly focused teaching manner accelerated my progress over the next 3 years, giving me a good grounding in the concepts and principles of Wing Chun, learning the three boxing forms, drills and Chi Sau and the first half of the Wooden Dummy form. I also attended regular seminars and small group lessons with my Sifu’s teacher Master Samuel Kwok and with Grandmaster Ip Chun.
Unfortunately I had to move back to Bristol due to work commitments and then went on an eighteen month world tour with a band I was playing in, and this ended my period of training with Sifu Davidson. I visited various Wing Chun schools on my travels and took the opportunity to practice some friendly chi sau with students of other lineages wherever possible.
Coming back off tour, I studied the Leung Jan ‘forty points’ system of Wing Chun from Foshan for six months under Shaolin Disciple Neil Genge, where I practiced lots of application and learned the basics of the pole form. Although I enjoyed this training, Sifu Genge’s school was focussed on Shaolin wushu, and the one class a week was not enough to quench my thirst for Wing Chun.
While training in another Wing Chun club in Bristol one evening a friend of the instructor attended and was asked to take the class, this was my introduction to Sifu Bill McKay and I was impressed by his depth of knowledge and skill in application and the similarity to the Wing Chun I had experienced in Manchester under Sifu Davidson.
After a short conversation with one of his students, I learned that Sifu McKay had learned from Sifu Harry Cannon, Sifu Davidson’s Si-hing (older Kung Fu Brother) under Master Kwok.
Soon after, I met with Sifu McKay, who examined my forms and played a little Chi Sau with me. From this he was able to identify the ‘holes’ in my Wing Chun knowledge and practice. Sifu McKay accepted me as a student and I have trained avidly under him for the last three years.
Sifu McKay has trained out any bad habits I had picked up has taught me the rest of the system.
I feel very lucky to have been able to continue my training in the Ip family/Samuel Kwok lineage under Sifu McKay and Si-Gung Harry Cannon. From my experiences with several other teachers of Wing Chun, I really appreciate being able to train with knowledgeable, Skilful, likeable and humble masters such as these.
I continue to further my Wing Chun training weekly in Sifu McKay’s class in Weston and privately at his home, also training with my Si-Gungs Cannon and Kwok at every opportunity. I also maintain contact with Sifu Davidson and someday hope to train with him again to ‘complete the circle’.
I now run the Bristol Class for Somerset Wing Chun and do my best to pass on traditional Ip Family Wing Chun as it was passed to me.